Fast and Yummy Fish Tacos!

I had to hurry and take a picture before Dave wolfed down the last taco standing!

The only Fish Taco I've ever had feelings for was from Rubios Mexican Grill. Unfortunately I haven't lived near a Rubios in years. Michelle gave me this recipe and guaranteed a happy Fish Taco reunion...let's just say, reunited and it tastes so good!

Fish Tacos

1 box Gortons Beer Battered fish sticks - I have used a few different brands and have liked them all, but Michelle swears by Gortons.

1 package white corn tortillas - warmed

Coleslaw ingredients:

1 package shredded cabbage mix

1/4 cup thinly sliced red onion

1/2 cup mayonnaise

Zest from 2 limes - I love my micro-plane tool, it makes it so easy!

Juice from 2 limes

2 tsp sugar - I add a little more

salt and freshly cracked pepper to taste - don't be afraid of the salt, it makes the dish!

Bake fish sticks according to directions. Place baked fish sticks of paper towels to drain any excess oil.

In a medium bowl combine slaw ingredients.

To warm tortillas-moisten 3 paper towels, squeeze out excess water and wrap around a pile of 6 to 8 tortillas. Microwave for 1 to 2 minutes.

Put tacos together and garnish with cilantro. I told you they were fast!

I would double this recipe for a family larger than 4 people.

Bryn hates anything fish, so I substitute chicken nuggets for the fish and she loves it!

One more thing, the coleslaw goes great as a side with any other Mexican dish!

Mom's Classic Blueberry Muffins

This recipe has been in the family for years. These are fast and easy and guaranteed to impress the Brunch bunch!

Blueberry Muffins
Preheat oven to 375 degrees

2 cups flour
1 cup sugar
1 Tb baking powder
1/2 cup milk
1 cube butter -melted and cooled
1 egg
1 tsp vanilla
1 cup fresh or frozen blueberries
-extra sugar to sprinkle on muffin tops

In a large bowl whisk the dry ingreds. In a small mixing bowl combine the wet ingredients except the blueberries. Add wet ingred. to the dry and mix well. Gently fold in blueberries. Use cupcake liners and sprinkle muffin tops with sugar. Bake for 15 - 20 minutes.
Makes 12 muffins.

Panera Bread Co. . . EAT YOUR HEART OUT!

Best Broccoli Soup in a Bread Bowl

I can't believe I did it! I'm not usually one for bread bowls, but since we've moved close to Panera Bread Co. Dave has become strangely addicted to this combo. I thought I'd surprise him after a long hard day at work, and let me tell you he was blown out of the water! The high I got from it was worth being in the kitchen for half the day!

Homemade soup and bread bowl cost: .50 cents

Panera Bread Co.: $4.95

I can't wait to show this to Dave at our next love/hate budget talk!

I used the bread bowl recipe from this yummy blog site: http://mykitchencafe.blogspot.com/2008/11/my-favorite-bread-bowls.html

The soup was really good, it's from Taste of Home. There is a broc. soup recipe from My Kitchen Cafe that looked excellent, but I didn't have the right cheeses. I'll try it soon and let you know. It's so cold out here that soup is the only thing that will keep you alive! :o)

Best Broccoli Soup

2 cups water

4 cups fresh broccoli chopped

1 cup celery chopped

1 cup carrots chopped

1/2 cup onion chopped

6 Tb butter

6 Tb flour

3 cups chicken broth

2 cups milk

1 Tb fresh chopped parsley

1 tsp onion salt

1/2 tsp garlic powder - I used 1 clove garlic minced

1/2 tsp salt

In a soup pot bring water to a boil, add broc, carrots and celery. Boil for 2-3 min until crisp tender. Drain, set veggies aside.

In the same pot melt butter add onions and cook until soft. Stir in flour to form a smooth paste. Gradully whisk in broth and milk until smooth. Bring to a boil and stir for 1 minute until thickened.

Stir in reserved veggies and remaining ingred. Reduce heat and simmer for 20 min.

Makes 6 servings. I would double this next time if using bread bowls.

ALIVE AND COOKIN'!

( Still learning how to crop on this! Say hello to Garrett's finger top left!)

On our road trip across America (that sounds so cool) we stopped at Zana's house in St Louie for some marathon Christmas cooking - then hit the road on Christmas day headed for VA! The only bummer was all my favorite holiday recipes were in the moving van. I had to google similar recipes but they weren't the same. Yet another reminder why I do this blog...once my tried and true babies are posted, I'll never be without them again! OH WHAT A FEELING!

~FAVORITE CHRISTMAS RECIPES~

FAVORITE CHRISTMAS CHEESE BALL

Recipe from Carol Smith

1 jar Roka Blue Cheese (Kraft makes this, it's usually next to the velveeta)

2 jars Old English Cheese " "

2 8 oz blocks of cream cheese (use Kraft, I think it makes a difference)

2 Tb grated onion

1 tsp Worcestershire sauce (who named this, I mean really!)

1 cup ground pecans- DIVIDED

1 /2 cup chopped parsley -DIVIDED - I sometimes use dried just use less if you do.

Combine all ingredients except 1/2 portions of nuts and parsley. Spread into desired small serving bowl and sprinkle with remaining nuts and parsley - or you can divide mixture and make a ball and roll the nuts and parsley onto it. Refrigerate -

I love this with wheat thins or use your favorite crackers. Enjoy!

CHRISTMAS WASSAIL

In a large pot boil:

5 quarts water

2 tsp whole cloves

2 cinnamon sticks

Remove whole spices and add:

6 oz frozen lemonade

6 oz. frozen apple juice or apple cider

12 oz frozen orange juice

3 cups sugar

Let it simmer to combine flavors. When it gets low add apple cider and reheat. Should last through the holidays. Store in refrigerator.

There are a lot of different names for this one so we just call it...

Garrett's Whipped Cream Dream Salad!

This is one of those throw in whatever you like kind of recipe, so here goes:

About 4 crisp apples - Fuji or gala

1 or 2 pomegranates

About 2 cups miniature marshmallows (the more the merrier!)

a couple handfuls of crasins or raisins

1 sliced banana - (I never use)

1/2 cup chopped pecans or walnuts (not for Garrett!)

1 pint heavy whipping cream - whipped and sweetened to your liking

Mix all together and I'll see you on cloud 9!

I need some major tech/blogging genius to help me with formatting! I'm going crazy trying to figure this out!!! Thanks!

My Favorite Creamy Chicken Soup

On a blustery day, this rich and creamy soup soothes the soul...trust me!

Creamy Chicken Soup~

3 Tb butter
1 medium onion - chopped
1 large clove garlic - pressed
3 Tb flour
5 cups chicken broth - I use the brand - Better Than Bouillon
3 stalks celery - chopped
2 carrots peeled - chopped
1/4 tsp fresh rosemary, chopped - or dried
1/8 tsp sage - I used powdered - if using dried leaves use a little more
1 1/4 cups half & half
3 cup shredded chicken - rotisserie is my fav for this one!
3/4 t dried parsley or 1 1/2 tsp freshly chopped
salt and pepper to taste
noodles if desired - I put them in if I'm in the mood - you really don't miss them!

In your favorite soup pot add the butter and onion over medium heat, saute for 4 min. - add garlic and cook another minute. Stir in flour to create a paste like texture. Slowly stir in chicken broth until mixture is well combined. Add celery, carrots and herbs - bring to a low boil and cook until veggies are soft - about 10 min.
Turn down heat to low and stir in half & half and chicken. Enjoy!

* you can stretch this soup by adding milk

I CAN'T BELIEVE THESE ARE LOWFAT SUGAR COOKIES!

I love cookies, (and so does Bryn a.k.a. Sarah Palin) especially sugar cookies. I only make them 3 times a year -Halloween, Christmas, and Easter. Last weekend I was in Park City with some girlfriends, while we were shopping at the outlet mall I was very pleased to come across a Mrs. Field's store. Years ago her cookies would satisfy the inner beast, so I thought I could count on her to end my hankering for sugar cookies this Halloween. When I went to pay for my 3 cookies the cashier threw me, when she said, "that will be $8.60" - my mouth dropped!! I relinquished one cookie and headed back to the car, thrilled to finally have them in my paws. I took one whiff and knew I'd been had! The first and last bite proved it, they smelled and tasted like plastic and cardboard mixed with sugar, basically not one trace of real butter!
When I returned home a few pounds happier - I decided to make a good lowfat sugar cookie without cutting out the taste- I've gotten rave reviews! Take that Mrs. Field's!

THE ULTIMATE LOWFAT SUGAR COOKIE~

Preheat oven to 375 degrees

3/4 cup plus 1 Tb all-purpose flour
1/2 cup cake flour-this can get really compacted in the box, make sure you spoon into cup and level with a knife.
1/2 tsp baking powder
1/2 tsp salt
4 Tb butter- softened
3/4 cup sugar
1 large egg, lightly beaten
1 Tb vanilla -yes, I said 1 tablespoon!

Line 2 baking sheets with parchment paper.

In a medium bowl whisk flours, baking powder, and salt; set aside.
With electric mixer, cream together butter and sugar until fluffy, about 3 min. Add egg and vanilla and beat until combined. Add flour mixture and beat until just combined.
Wrap dough in plastic wrap and refrigerate for 30 minutes or until firm.

Roll out dough and cut into desired shapes.
Be sure to bake cookies one sheet at a time, until edges are light golden and centers are set
8 to 10 minutes. Don't over bake!

*I usually double this recipe. I only use 1 1/2 Tb vanilla if I double it.

Pumpkin Pancakes with Apple Cider Syrup

This one is from Michelle-one of the great cooks of our time! You ask why? Well, she has 6 kids, so I say that makes her the ultimate pro in pleasing a crowd with a recipe like this...

Ingredients

2 cups flour
4 tsp. baking powder
2 tsp. cinnamon
2 Tb. sugar
1 tsp. salt
2 cups milk
1 cup pumpkin
4 Tb. oil
4 eggs- separated

In a medium bowl whisk- egg yolks, milk, pumpkin, and oil.

In a small bowl whisk together dry ingredients. Add to pumpkin mixture and stir by hand until combined. Set aside.

In another bowl beat egg whites until soft peaks form. Fold into batter. Don't over mix!

Buttering the grill makes these extra tasty!

Apple Cider Syrup

In a saucepan combine:

1 1/2 cups apple cider
1 cup corn syrup
1 tsp. lemon juice
1/2 t nutmeg
1 cup brown sugar
4 Tb. butter
1 tsp. cinnamon

Bring to a boil then turn down heat and simmer for 20+ minutes until thickened. Let stand for 30 minutes.

Here's another yummy syrup from Aimee. I use this one if I forget to buy apple cider. It's also really fast!

Cinnamon Syrup

1 cup sugar
2 Tb.flour
1/2 tsp. cinnamon
1/8 tsp. salt
2/3 cup water
3 Tbl. butter

In a saucepan mix all the dry ingredients together, then stir in the water. Bring to a boil over meduim heat and boil for 1 minute. Remove from heat and stir in butter until melted. Serve warm.